March 05, 2025
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Regatta regains racing nationals

By Lee Provost
Two VP-75 boats race the course during the Kankakee River Valley Regatta on Aug. 31. The racing event is the first on the Kankakee River since Labor Day 2013.

Two VP-75 boats race the course during the Kankakee River Valley Regatta on Aug. 31, 2024. The racing event was the first on the Kankakee River since Labor Day 2013. The city recently learned it has been awarded American Powerboat Association national events for Labor Day weekend 2025 and 2026. (Tiffany Blanchette)

KANKAKEE – After a successful return of powerboat racing on Labor Day weekend after an 11-year hiatus, Kankakee officials have even greater news for this coming summer.

The Kankakee River Valley Regatta has scored a two-year commitment from the American Powerboat Association for a national event for Labor Day weekend 2025.

The Kankakee River will also host the 2026 APA national and the hope is the event will once again become a fixture here as it had been for years until the city stopped hosting the event after the 2013 competition.

The regatta returned on the Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend 2024.

But regaining the nationals after only one year back as host was more than Mayor Chris Curtis could have hoped for.

Curtis made the announcement at the end of Monday’s Kankakee City Council meeting. He said he had hoped to make a more formal announcement, but word had been spreading that the city’s regatta landed the event.

“This is huge,” he said after the meeting. “To have this back is exciting.”

He was informed of the racing association’s decision late this past week.

Securing the return of the regatta had been a mission for Curtis when he became mayor in May 2021.

However, following what he had labeled a successful first year, he was not anticipating such a major score.

Having a racing national event means more boats, more racers, more sponsors, more fans and greater exposure.

The 2025 Labor Day weekend actually falls on Saturday, Aug. 30, Sunday, Aug. 31, and Monday, Sept. 1.

Like the 2024 event, Curtis said practice racing will be held on Friday and racing will take place Saturday and Sunday. Monday, the actual day of Labor Day, will be held as a rain date.

The northern Illinois region will be the national hub of boat racing this coming Labor Day weekend as Chicago and Lake Michigan will play host to the Chicago National Grand Prix, Aug. 29-31, also an American Powerboat Association event.

When Curtis was able to secure the regatta for 2024, he made it clear this was not a one-year venture. He was adamant the goal was for it to be a long-term relationship.

Securing the regatta event was a joint partnership of five organizations: City of Kankakee, Kankakee Valley Park District, Kankakee County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Kankakee County Chamber of Commerce and the Kankakee Valley Boat Club.

The event cost about $100,000 to put on, including prize money. A $25,000 grant through the CVB has been awarded. The hope is sponsorships, gate receipts, vendor fees and boat racer entry fees will bring the event to an even balance.

The regatta was a Labor Day weekend staple for about 30 years.